Mama_Bear, that picture reminded me of the jays here in AZ. A couple years ago I had pack rats on the property, that were getting into the RV engine, building nests and chewing wires. So, I opened the hood all the way up, hung a bright trouble light in there, put a radio on the dash, playing heavy metal music all night long, and then put saucers of moth balls around the engine. (I just knew that would deter the buggers!)
The next morning the moth balls were all gone!
I replaced them, and again - they disappeared.
This went on for several days. I couldn’t imagine that the pack rats were eating moth balls. And then one morning, looking out my kitchen window,I saw a blue jay with one in his mouth! At first I couldn’t believe it!
I watched him bury it in my yard. Then, as soon as he flew off, another jay flew right to where the first jay had buried the moth ball, pecked at the ground, pulled it out, and took it about ten feet away, and buried it in a spot of HIS choice.
They are very entertaining birds, aren’t they?
My Jays are pretty spoiled and finicky. They turn up their beaks at anything I try to give them; sunflower seeds, crackers, etc. They will only take peanuts. I'm sure we have several pounds of peanuts buried under our lawn.
Those were some very creative solutions you came up with to deter those rats. Did they work? We have fruit rats that come around our citrus trees. The only thing that gets rid of them is poison bait that we put out in a bait box. As much as I love all animals, I cannot stand to have rats in my yard. :-(